


Day 5: Another Time; Another Place

by GemmaRose



Series: LawLu Week 2020 [5]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magic, M/M, Multi, Plans, Post-Dressrosa, Pre-Wano Arc (One Piece)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-19
Updated: 2020-12-19
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:54:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,026
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28175727
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GemmaRose/pseuds/GemmaRose
Summary: On the road between one fight and the next, Law tells Luffy some things he doesn't want, but does need to hear.
Relationships: Monkey D. Luffy/Nami/Roronoa Zoro/Vinsmoke Sanji, Monkey D. Luffy/Trafalgar D. Water Law
Series: LawLu Week 2020 [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2063889
Kudos: 49





	Day 5: Another Time; Another Place

“Did you know, Straw Hat...” he said slowly, leaning back against a tree and looking up at the stars overhead. “Hotspots can form around powerful beasts?”

“Yeah, actually.” Luffy stretched his arm up to grab a branch above Law and hooked his legs over it to hang upside down. “’S how me an’ Ace an’ Sabo hunted the tiger of Mount Corvo. We’d find where the magic was strongest, and then we’d know it was nearby.”

“You-” Law turned his head to stare at Luffy, smiling with those eyes just a touch too dark to be fully human, that mouth which stretched too wide, showing off too many teeth. “Of course you went and hunted in a hotspot.” he sighed. “How are you still as human as you are?”

Luffy shrugged. Law realized, belatedly, that his hat was still on his head. It really would never cease to impress him, just how effortlessly powerful Luffy was. And still normal-sized, too. Most people who held that much magic grew to inhuman size, like Doflamingo. Like the Emperor who was no longer a man (perhaps never had been, if the rumours were true) that Law had meant to unleash on Dressrosa.

“What’s so important about that, though?” Luffy tilted his head slightly, and Law looked over at the campfire the rest of their travelling party had gathered around.

“Kaido is one of those beasts.” he said after a long moment of silence. “It’s part of why nobody’s been able to defeat him. Anyone with enough power to try, they can’t get through his armour before being overwhelmed.”

“Oh.” in his peripheral vision he saw Luffy’s head twist to look at the campfire as well, and he knew those inhuman eyes were fixed on Sanji, the member of Luffy’s crew who had come so perilously close to hitting his limit already and had the eyes and talons to show for it. “Sanji knows his limits, right?” Luffy’s head snapped back to stare at him, the motion too fast to be human, and not for the first time Law wondered what, exactly, called the slopes of Mount Corvo home that Luffy had tread so close to becoming as a child.

“I’m sure he does, but would he try to push those limits if he thought it meant the difference between life and death for you? For any of your cohort?” Law’s mouth burned with the words, but they had to be said. Luffy inspired loyalty like no other human Law had met, devotion which superseded even survival instincts but never once rang with the compulsion of a thrall bond. It was awesome in the same way a storm at sea was awesome. It made you feel small to witness, but when you could harness that power, that bond- Law had seen Luffy in action, seen how the Straw Hats lent him their strength to defeat even the most insurmountable of enemies. The power Luffy held was terrifying, and all the moreso for the fact that he seemed utterly unaware of it.

“You know I don’t give orders.” Luffy said, his voice gone quiet and rough. “I won’t bend them to my will.” not like the monsters in human skin who’d ruled the city at the foot of the mountain, not like the people who claimed to be descended from dragons, not like Sakazuki or Doflamingo or any of the hundred, hundred petty tyrants he’d seen and fought and vanquished in his quest to find a place where his friends and family could be _safe_. Luffy didn’t say any of that, of course, but Law knew it anyways. Near-death experiences had a way of drawing out all the poison of your past, and he and Luffy had shared enough to know each other’s souls at this point.

“Kaido isn’t like anyone else you’ve fought so far.” he warned Luffy. “You don’t have to order them, but you should _ask_.”

“Ask what?” Luffy snapped, dropping from the tree branch and twisting to land on his feet, shoulders tense and fingers curling in helpless fists. “Ask him not to fight? Not to help protect us?” Luffy stalked closer, then dropped to his knees at Law’s side, hand splaying over his racing heart. “Could you ask that of Bepo? Ask him to stand back and wonder if he could’ve _done something_ , when he feels you die?”

“I already did.”

Luffy froze, and a humourless laugh pulled free of Law’s throat. “I didn’t expect to beat Doffy, remember?” he prompted, covering Luffy’s hand with his. “And I’m not letting those of my crew who’re at risk to come into the final battle with us. We need numbers, but more than that we need _strength_. If they lose themselves, we’ll have to fight them.”

“I don’t want to leave anyone behind.” Luffy slumped, and Law tugged him into his lap, tucking Luffy close in a hug. “I hate having to order them around.”

“So ask Zoro to do it, or Nami.” Law dragged his fingers through Luffy’s hair. “They’re your cohort for a reason, they’ll want Sanji safe as much as you do.” and if Nami asked, Sanji might even listen.

“You have the best ideas, Torao.” Luffy laughed into his hoodie.

“Well one of us has to be the brains of this outfit, and it sure as hell ain’t you.” Law grinned, poking Luffy in the side.

“That’s fair.” he giggled, pulling back enough to give Law one of his signature blinding smiles. “I’m glad I met you, Torao.”

“You better be.” Law poked him in the chest, right in the middle of the scar he’d spent so much time and energy ensuring had time to heal into a scar. “You’d be dead without me, rubber freak.”

“Yeah, I would.” Luffy’s smile widened, tingling again at that ancient part of Law’s brain that whispered he should be afraid. Law pushed that instinct aside and settled his hands on Luffy’s hips. “And I wouldn’t get to do this.” he leaned in, and Law surrendered to the kiss. In this, at least, he could let Luffy lead and not worry anything would blow up or catch fire.

**Author's Note:**

> Apologies to any not-logged-in readers, but due to an ex who refuses to leave me alone I have had to disable anon comments. Kudos are still open though, and if you want to scream (or would like me to write a fic for you) come check me out on Pillowfort! No account required to get my discord, and I'm always happy to chat. [[Link](https://www.pillowfort.social/GemmaRose)]


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